Lisa Gable has served four United States presidents and two governors. The former US ambassador and United Nations delegate is advisor to Fortune 500 companies and CEOs. She is the Chairperson of World in 2050, and has served as the CEO of FARE. She is a bestselling author and CEO of several organisations. In this interview conducted online by KINGSLEY ALUMONA, she speaks about her work in government, profit, and non-profit organisations, and how she met her husband.
You have had an impressive personal and professional career – you worked in the President Ronald Reagan administration at the age of 19, worked at the White House and the Pentagon, served four United States presidents and two governors, counselled Fortune 500 CEOs, and worked with many profit and non-profit organisations. How has this almost 40-year multi-career journey been for you? And what keeps you going?
I learned early that careers don’t have to be linear to be meaningful. While many follow a traditional path within one sector, I’ve taken what a friend calls ‘the scenic route’ – moving across government, business, and the nonprofit world in roles where I could have an impact.
Some of those changes I pursued, but others found me. It’s been a mix of diligence, a focus on what I wanted to achieve at each stage of my life, and opportunity. What ties it together is my enthusiasm for stepping into unfamiliar spaces and applying lessons from one sector to another.
For almost four decades, you have worked in the leadership, government, technology, and corporate sectors. In today’s fast-paced, profit-driven world, how would you define leadership, especially the kind that humanises the daily uncertainties that governments and organisations face?
Leadership is about creating conditions where teams can move forward with confidence and purpose, especially in uncertain environments. It starts with a simple mindset: I am not defined by what I was, but by who I am and will be – one that helps identify inflection points and pursue cross-sector opportunities, bringing forward ideas that serve as benchmarks for what comes next.
Most importantly, it’s about focusing on commonalities and building momentum around shared values.
In the course of your work and career in government, what is the toughest challenge you have ever faced, and how did you manage it? How did it shape your perceptions about life and people?
One of the toughest challenges I faced was leading a national medical research organisation that was financially unsustainable and behind in research. We had to raise $100 million, rebuild industry relationships, and restructure about 85 per cent of the organisation – much of it during COVID.
The hardest part wasn’t the strategy – it was the people. Turnarounds create real churn, and it requires clarity and compassion – being honest about what the future demands while respecting those who built the past.
In 2004, you were appointed by President George W. Bush as US Ambassador and Commissioner General to the 2005 Aichi World EXPO. What was the EXPO experience like for you?
Serving as ambassador to the 2005 Aichi World Expo was one of the greatest honours of my career – an opportunity to represent the United States with a message of hope, optimism, enterprise, and freedom through high-touch engagement that delivered value at no cost to taxpayers.
We focused on relationships, not transactions – showing up from global meetings to small village visits. Most importantly, we delivered on President Bush’s mandate for US engagement: ensuring Japan, one of our closest allies, felt our presence and support in a meaningful, personal way.
Your profile reads, in part, ‘As co-Chair of the Women’s Democracy Network, I recognise that a full and robust democracy depends on the equal participation of women.’ In the US, how would you rate women’s participation in politics and democratic endeavours? What role do you play in educating and empowering women with the skills to participate robustly in democratic leadership?
There has been progress, but not enough. Women are participating more, but representation still does not match potential.
My focus has been on practical support – training, mentoring, and helping women understand how systems work and how they can achieve positions of power in elected office, party leadership, and politically appointed positions. When women are fully supported, prepared, and confident, they step into leadership roles more effectively.
You served as the CEO of FARE, the world’s largest funder of food allergy research, education, and advocacy. And you are reported to be fascinated by the merger of food, medicine, and technology. On this note, what is your take on the production and safety of genetically modified crops/food? Do you think it is something the world needs in these times?
We need to look at this through the lens of science and safety. The world needs reliable food systems, and technology can help.
At the same time, people need clear information. Trust matters. It is about using innovation responsibly and ensuring strong standards.
Are a keynote speaker and author of the best-selling book ‘Turnaround: How to Change Course When Things Are Going South’ published in October, 2021. What inspired you to write this book, and what lessons does it offer to its readers?
During COVID, a publisher saw that business, government, and philanthropy would all need turnarounds and believed my experience across all three uniquely positioned me to help.
I share my four-part method for turning around an organisation that is struggling: Visualise the future – don’t fix what’s there; start from scratch; break down the present – ditch what isn’t working; keep what does; create a path to your future – map out critical decisions and actions needed; and execute with confidence and diplomacy – speed up by partnering well with others.
You are a Chairperson at the World in 2050. What is this initiative or organisation about? Which kind of world do you want to see in 2050, and what roles are you playing towards the actualisation of that world?
The World in 2050 is a forward-looking initiative of the Diplomatic Courier Global Affairs Media Network that examines how major forces – demographic change, resource stress, technological advances, and shifting economic power – will shape our future. Our goal is to ensure the ‘world arrives well’ by guiding technological breakthroughs toward expanding economic opportunity, strengthening resilience, and improving global health and well-being to create an inclusive, innovative, and stable world.
Have you been to Nigeria before? What is your perception of Nigeria, and what three things do you like about Nigerians?
I have not yet been to Nigeria, but I admire your country’s strong entrepreneurial spirit, the depth and influence of your faith communities, and your global cultural impact – especially through the rise of Nollywood and the work of my dear friend, Stephanie Okereke Linus.
As a leader and women’s advocate, what is your message to African women on how they can contribute their quota to policies that shape their lives and leadership that reflects their best interests?
When you are given a seat at the table, decide on your one key point in advance and do the work to back it up. Then, find the moment and address the issue others may be avoiding – real progress begins when the root problem is named.
At the same time, surround yourself with a strong, trusted circle of advisors and experts who can sharpen your thinking and expand your reach. And just as importantly, invest in others. When you actively help those around you succeed, you build networks that are resilient, influential, and capable of shaping the policies that affect your lives.
Recently on LinkedIn, you made a post about your husband, Jim Gable, which began with ’30 years ago, two entrepreneurs said ‘I do’.’ What could you tell us about your husband (including how you first met him), and the unique memories and experiences you shared together?
In 1994, Jim Gable – who led Apple’s hardware effort for the Power Macintosh transition – stood on a New York stage as the company introduced a platform that helped reset its future.
This was a time when hardware launches carried real weight: months, sometimes years, of preparation, real risk, and an industry watching closely. I met him in California soon after. We adopted our daughter in 1998 and travelled the world together.
While founding the internet radio company Kerbango, Jim was diagnosed with a rare cancer and multiple autoimmune diseases. Through surgeries and setbacks, he and his partners sold the company to 3Com. For the next 26 years, he kept building – companies, ideas, and a life centred on family.
Jim passed away last July. His resilience was not denial, but a deliberate choice to live fully in the face of difficulty. I am pleased that Jim’s legacy will live on for years.
Today, his papers and the Kerbango radio are in the Computer History Museum in Northern California. His medical records are being used to train AI in the early diagnosis of rare diseases, and a tissue bank has been established to support those researchers.
With your busy life and schedule, how do you relax and manage stress, and what do you do for leisure? Though you have had an active life and career, where do you see yourself in ten years?
I stay focused on the things I want to accomplish and the deliverables I want to leave behind. Time with family, reading, and quiet space help me reset. I value stepping away from constant activity.
In ten years, I expect to stay engaged, but more focused on mentoring, writing, and contributing where I can support democracy, faith, and freedom. And who knows – perhaps, I will have some grandchildren by then!